Stalking

University of Minnesota Sexual Assault/Relationship Violence Policy (Academic/Administrative Policy 2.3.6)Stalking is a "course of conduct directed at a specific person that is unwanted, unwelcome, or unreciprocated and that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear."

There are many different behaviors that qualify as stalking, but all share two common features: They involve actions not wanted by the victim and they threaten or cause fear in the victim. Some examples of stalking include following, inappropriate approaches and attention, and unwanted telephone calls, emails, letters or gifts. Victims of stalking often feel scared, frustrated and violated, and sometimes feel that they don’t want to "make a big deal out of nothing." But stalking can lead to more violent behavior and should be taken seriously. See our Stalking Handout.

Stalking is never the fault of the victim. The blames lies with the person who chose to hurt you. Aurora Center advocates offer support and advocacy to students, staff and faculty of the University of Minnesota who are victims of stalking. Our services are free and confidential.

Tangible things you may do if you are being stalked include, but are not limited to:

1. Document the incidents that have happened so far. Time/Date, description of the incident, whether it was reported to police, and how it made you feel or what impact it had on you.

2. If it is safe for you to do so, send a "Do Not Contact" email, text, or letter to the person who is stlaking you. It should be straightforward and to the point, such as "Do not ontact me ever again, for any reason." An advocate can help you work through what this may look like.

3. Report to police. You may file a report with police, though depending on the incident, it may or may not be a crime that the police can act on.

5. Filing a restraining order. You may be eligible for a harassment restraining order. For more information, contact our 24 hour helpline at 612-626-9111 to speak with an advocate. You may also go to lawhelpmn.org where they have thorough explanations around both harassment orders and orders for protection.